Breakdown of Сегодня я должен созвониться с коллегой, поэтому еду в офис.
я
I
в
in / to (direction)
офис
office
ехать
to go (by vehicle)
сегодня
today
поэтому
so (therefore)
с
with (also со)
коллега
colleague
должен
must, have to (должен, должна, должны)
созвониться
to get on a call / to call each other
Questions & Answers about Сегодня я должен созвониться с коллегой, поэтому еду в офис.
Why does созвониться have the -ся ending?
The -ся ending here shows a reciprocal action, meaning two people are doing it together. While звонить means to call someone, созвониться means to get on a call with each other. These reciprocal verbs are almost always followed by с (with).
Why is the colleague in the form с коллегой?
Because of the reciprocal action! When doing something with someone, Russian uses the preposition с followed by the Instrumental case. The noun коллега (colleague) ends in -а, so its Instrumental form becomes коллегой.
Why use the word должен for must?
In Russian, must or have to is not a normal verb. Instead, you use the short adjective должен followed by an infinitive verb (созвониться). Because it is an adjective, it changes based on gender. Since the sentence uses должен, we know a male is speaking. A female would say должна.
Why does the speaker use еду rather than иду?
Еду is the 'I' form of ехать, which specifically means going by transport (like a car, bus, or train). If the speaker were walking to the office, they would use иду (from идти).
Can I use потому что instead of поэтому here?
No, because they have opposite functions. Поэтому means therefore or so, and it introduces the result (I have to call, so I am going to the office). Потому что means because and introduces the reason. You would only use потому что if you flipped the sentence: Я еду в офис, потому что я должен созвониться с коллегой.
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